"Yu Rou greets Senior Danchenzi."
A simple greeting, yet laden with endless bitterness.
Looking at the despondent, alluring mature woman, Luo Chen felt a stir of emotion.
Back then, the cultivators of Dahe Mill had arrived at Taishan Market like refugees, humbling themselves before the three local powers.
If it had ended there, it would have been fine.
After all, living under someone else's roof forced one to bow one's head.
Yet when Luo Chen led his people away from Taishan Market to seek a path elsewhere, the Huo family had refused to let matters rest. Young Master Huo Hu had rallied Wang Haichao, the rogue cultivator Tu Shan, the Bai family of Liuguang Market, and the Foundation Establishment True Cultivator Yu Rou to pursue them relentlessly!
That battle had been fraught with mortal peril!
The Nangong family was nearly wiped out, the Luotian Association suffered grievous losses, and many of Luo Chen's close acquaintances perished in that clash.
Among those enemies, Wang Haichao and Tu Shan had died on the spot.
The Huo family, young and old, had later been slaughtered by Luo Chen and Wang Yuan.
The Bai family of Liuguang Market had likewise vanished like smoke.
Now, only the master of the Yu family remained!
While Luo Chen pondered how to handle this woman, those on the Yu family's side were filled with dread and trepidation.
They could feel the unrestrained spiritual pressure radiating from Luo Chen.
Even though it was only a faint wisp, it was nearly enough to suffocate them.
She looked around at the faces watching her, finally gritting her teeth and saying, "Senior Danchenzi, have you taken a liking to my Mount Yihua? If so, this concubine is willing to yield it with both hands!"
Luo Chen chuckled.
She was attempting to provoke him with words, hoping to leave him open to criticism and saddle him with the reputation of a senior bullying the weak!
In that case...
"Are you truly willing to yield it with both hands?" he asked back with a faint smile.
Yu Rou froze.
This was not what she had anticipated!
Didn't Luo Chen also possess the Daoist title of Fire Spirit Lord? Shouldn't he return injury with kindness, raising the past grudge high only to set it down gently?
Just as she was caught off guard, Luo Chen curled his lip.
"Forget it!"
"A mere small Tier 2 spirit vein hardly catches my eye."
"Today, I have only come to watch an old friend's spectacle. Please, do continue!"
At these words, Yu Rou instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
Though there had been some twists and turns, it remained within her expectations.
This way...
The only enemies they had to face were still Kang Dongyue and his men. With their strength, they indeed had the power to put up a fight!
However!
Just as Yu Rou turned around in high spirits to seek out her allies,
she discovered in shock
that the two Foundation Establishment experts who had just been standing side by side with her had quietly retreated several paces without her noticing.
Waking from her stupor, Yu Rou realized what was happening.
Her face twisted with shock and fury, and she nearly shouted in anger.
"You!"
The two experts shook their heads at her, sending quiet divine sense transmissions: "Do not fall for Danchenzi's trick! Fellow Daoist, could you not hear him call Kang Dongyue an old friend? If it truly comes down to a battle of life and death, do you really think he will just sit by and do nothing?"
The other also whispered worriedly, "The additional Foundation Establishment cultivators on the Kang family's side clearly belong to another Golden Core master. How could this battle be so simple? It is clearly two Golden Core masters using the Kang family as a tool to deal with us!"
The two exchanged a glance and said to Yu Rou in tacit understanding, "It is merely a piece of spirit land. Business can be conducted anywhere; there is no need to throw our lives away here."
With that,
the two lingered no longer. They retreated into the crowd and called on their respective clansmen to withdraw from Mount Yihua.
Yu Rou watched this scene blankly. *I was ready to fight to the death, so why have you all surrendered?*
Now, only the Yu family's two Foundation Establishment cultivators and their two Tier 2 spirit beasts remained.
With such a lineup, how could they possibly contest Kang Dongyue?
The transmissions between the three seemed secretive, but to Luo Chen's ears, they were practically shouting.
He watched the scene with a smile.
How similar was this sight to the battle to defend Danxia all those years ago?
Perhaps the only two differences were that Luo Chen had external aid back then, and the Luotian Association possessed the resolve to fight to the death!
Without that resolve to fight to the death, hoping to keep one's family stronghold?
What a joke!
Yu Rou naturally realized that she had become the laughingstock of the crowd.
Her face alternated between green and pale, and her body trembled faintly.
To the onlookers, she stirred an urge to pity the fragile beauty.
Kang Dongyue, however, was entirely unmoved. Taking a step forward, the spiritual power fluctuations of his fifth-layer Foundation Establishment erupted fully.
"Fellow Daoist Yu Rou, this Mount Yihua—will you yield it, or not?!"
Under this shout, Yu Rou's mind shook violently, and she involuntarily stumbled back three paces.
In her bewilderment, she looked at her own clansmen... In everyone's eyes, not a shred of fighting spirit could be seen.
At this point,
she had nothing left but a bitter laugh.
"Since that is the case, it is yours!"
Kang Dongyue nodded. "Very well. I will grant you three days to evacuate Mount Yihua, so as to preserve our families' two hundred years of friendship as neighbors."
Yu Rou laughed bitterly, shook her head, and prepared to return to the mountain.
Seeing that no fight would break out, the watching crowd also prepared to disperse.
Yet just as the curtain was about to fall, that gentle voice suddenly rang out once more.
"The spectacle is gone, but I believe you and I still have some business to settle, Yu Rou!"
Yu Rou's expression changed drastically, and she whipped around.
"Senior Danchenzi, what are you trying to do?"
The smile on Luo Chen's face gradually faded. "The battle at Gaoling Plain back then remains fresh in my memory. Surely you haven't forgotten it?"
As he spoke!
He reached out toward the empty air and grasped.
A massive palm print manifested out of thin air, sweeping toward Yu Rou with tremendous force.
*Rumble...*
Wherever the palm print passed, its momentum was immense, carrying a weight that almost seemed capable of suppressing heaven and earth.
Yet its speed was not particularly fast.
In her terror, Yu Rou hurriedly pulled away to dodge.
Though she evaded it, the spirit beast beneath her feet let out a mournful cry, shivering violently as the palm print closed around it.
*Screech...*
Yu Rou's face was filled with terror; in that moment, she had felt the dread of life and death!
"Senior, I never personally struck you back then! Treating me like this now—doesn't it demean your dignity as a Golden Core master?"
Luo Chen sneered. "You should rejoice that you never attacked back then; otherwise, that palm would have ended your life. Consider this emerald-feathered white eagle your gift of apology!"
Yu Rou opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.
He truly had no intention of killing her.
Yet this minor punishment served as an undeniable warning.
Such was the atmosphere of the cultivation world. Even if higher-realm cultivators did not bully the weak, juniors were never permitted to run rampant and insult their seniors!
It was just that... this emerald-feathered white eagle was a spirit beast raised alongside her since childhood!
Over the years, even when her own cultivation progressed slowly, she had poured resources into nurturing this spirit beast, raising it to the late Tier 2 level, comparable to an expert in late Foundation Establishment.
Demonic beasts enjoyed long lifespans, and combat strength like this was sufficient to serve as a guardian spirit beast passed down through generations.
To part with it like this...
In the end, the woman could only bow with a mouth full of bitterness.
"Yu Rou thanks Senior for sparing her life."
With that, the woman returned to Mount Yihua, crestfallen and desolate.
In Taishan Market,
many cultivators watched this unfold in stunned silence.
They had never imagined that the master of the Yu family shared an unknown history of enmity with the renowned Danchenzi.
From the looks of it, Senior Danchenzi was magnanimous enough to overlook past offenses, letting Yu Rou off the hook.
For a time, the gossiping crowd burned with curiosity,
eager to dig up all the old secrets and pick them apart down to the bone!
***
Aboard the Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat.
A young figure and a middle-aged figure sat high in the seats of honor.
The gray-haired Kang Dongyue sat below them, looking thoroughly deferential.
"Three days from now, after your Kang family takes over Mount Yihua, hand it over to Fellow Daoist Song's disciples," Luo Chen said casually.
Beside him, Song Mi smiled. "Naturally. Your Kang family contributed to this matter, and I have taken note of it. Your family may also take part in this business going forward."
Having obtained this promise, Kang Dongyue beamed with joy.
He did not have much lifespan remaining.
Before passing away, he had first sent a talented disciple to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, and then secured Mount Youbai as an ancestral land for the Kang family.
Now, with a share in the Heavenly Blade Sect's business as well,
he felt he had done everything a family patriarch could possibly do. He could die with no regrets!
"Dongyue thanks the two Seniors!"
Luo Chen shook his head. Such excessive courtesy felt somewhat distant.
Yet a difference in realm inevitably created an insurmountable barrier.
He waved his hand, and his old friend Kang Dongyue tactfully excused himself from the hall.
Once he was gone, the ensuing conversation turned far more private.
Song Mi spoke eloquently. Having obtained this well-positioned Tier 2 spirit land, he could station disciples of the Heavenly Blade Sect here for the long term to conduct business related to the opening war.
He was inclined to share a portion with the Luotian Sect.
However, Luo Chen declined.
"My Luotian Sect is currently short on hands and weak in strength. Dividing our forces across several locations already stretches us thin, so we will not meddle in this business."
Song Mi was somewhat surprised.
To think the man would refuse spirit stones handed to him on a silver platter?
Luo Chen's next words resolved his confusion.
"I intend to seek a Tier 3 spirit vein to serve as a sanctuary for my sect. If all goes smoothly, all the better; but should complications arise, I hope Fellow Daoist will not hesitate to lend a hand once."
Realization dawned upon Song Mi.
Compared to a Tier 3 spirit vein, a few spirit stones were indeed petty gains.
After some thought, he said earnestly, "Within the bounds of my ability, I will certainly assist!"
Luo Chen studied him for a moment, then nodded faintly.
"In that case, I offer my thanks in advance!"
Afterward, Song Mi chatted briefly about matters concerning the Howling Moon Mountain Range before taking his leave.
Once he had departed,
Luo Chen curled his lip. These Golden Core figures were all as shrewd as spirits.
He had intended to use this favor to extract a major effort from the man in the future.
He had not expected the other party to still leave room for maneuver in his words.
*Within the bounds of my ability?*
"Heh..."
Luo Chen shook his head and sent a divine sense transmission.
A moment later, Xu Huanzhen stepped into the hall.
With a wave of Luo Chen's hand, the previously subdued emerald-feathered white eagle appeared before Xu Huanzhen, shivering in fear.
"Supreme Elder, this is..."
"It's yours," Luo Chen said with a faint smile. "During the battle at Mount Thunder Accumulation, your late-Tier 2 white crane was lost. I said back then that I would find another for you when the opportunity arose. Take a look at this emerald-feathered white eagle; how does it suit you?"
Xu Huanzhen was stunned.
He had never imagined that Luo Chen would remember such a trivial matter.
Yet what was a trifle to Luo Chen was of paramount importance to him.
Most of his abilities lay in beast taming.
The white crane he had painstakingly raised had died on the battlefield of Mount Thunder Accumulation.
Later, he had managed to nurture a Tier 2 Plume-Stripping Eagle with great effort, only for it to be beaten to death during the battle to defend Danxia.
As a result, although he possessed an eighth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation, his combat strength fell short of peers at the same realm.
Now, receiving this emerald-feathered white eagle!
"Late Tier 2, brimming with spirituality. Tsk, tsk... this white eagle has never even been subjected to an enslavement brand, and its potential is extraordinary!"
Luo Chen chuckled. "This spirit beast grew up alongside Yu Rou from youth and has consumed countless heavenly treasures. It is hard to say whether its combat prowess is exceptional, but its flight speed ranks among the finest in Foundation Establishment. With this eagle, ordinary Foundation Establishment experts will not be able to detain you if you are determined to flee."
Xu Huanzhen nodded repeatedly. "Huanzhen thanks the Supreme Elder!"
"Think nothing of it!"
Luo Chen waved his hand and said leisurely, "Your upcoming mission differs from Yuan Xiaoyue's. You must personally oversee our Luotian Sect's branch in the Howling Moon Mountain Range and run the demonic beast trade. Giving you this beast puts it to the best possible use."
"Huanzhen will devote his full effort to expanding our sect's prestige!" Xu Huanzhen responded solemnly.
***
Luo Chen did not linger long in Taishan Market.
In the end, this affair was the Heavenly Blade Sect's business.
He had merely taken the opportunity to resolve his past karma with Yu Rou.
And he had resolved it exceptionally well.
When word spread, people would not accuse him of bullying the weak, but instead praise his broad-mindedness.
Those who had offended him in the past were only given minor warnings without further retribution, truly showcasing the magnanimity of a Golden Core master.
Furthermore, considering his past reputation during Foundation Establishment for razing strongholds, exterminating sects, and repaying every slight, nobody would think him overly soft.
Striking such a balance would be difficult for an ordinary person.
Only after careful consideration had Luo Chen chosen to claim her spirit beast rather than take her life.
Aboard the flying boat,
Luo Chen watched Xu Huanzhen in the sky, who had just branded the emerald-feathered white eagle and was familiarizing himself with the beast, feeling quite a stir of emotion.
They were about to reach the Luoyun Sect's immortal city.
With the Luotian Sect's future grand designs at stake, his every move would fall under the scrutiny of observant eyes.
Reputation was a sharp weapon!
People might not care about it at critical junctures, but bringing it to bear in ordinary times yielded smooth results at every turn.
Over the years, Luo Chen had enjoyed numerous benefits brought about by his reputation.
Therefore,
sometimes, even if it meant putting on a deliberate act, he had to see it through!
The Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat sailed forward.
Past Taishan Market, it traversed Mount Jiudie.
Once, a herd of demonic deer had occupied this place, led by a jiuzhang deer that was a genuine Tier 3 beast king.
Back then, even with the River-Swallowing Toad blocking the path, Luo Chen and Wang Haichao had not dared to detour here because of that jiuzhang deer.
Yet now, it was gone without a trace.
In its place stood a newly built, sprawling market.
In fact, it was not just Mount Jiudie.
Wherever the dragon boat passed, every familiar mountain and river with even a modest grade of spirit land had been claimed by various factions to establish markets.
Even at Nanwa Snow Mountain, familiar cultivators from the Ice Fort had hurriedly erected a market to draw foot traffic and profit from the war.
Perhaps some might wonder: where did so much business come from? Where was all this profit to be made?
The answer was simple.
Where there were people, there was profit.
This opening war had gathered twenty-seven major sects from near and far, along with an endless stream of minor factions, to say nothing of the innumerable rogue cultivators seeking a chance to rise.
With such immense foot traffic, running almost any trade would yield handsome fortunes.
The frontlines were monopolized by the Luoyun Sect and the eight Nascent Soul superior sects.
Lesser factions naturally had to settle for second best, content to lap up the leftovers.
***
"Is this Moonbreaker Immortal City?"
Aboard the Scarlet Flame Dragon Boat, Luo Chen looked down upon the behemoth of a city below.
Rigid stone ramparts, towering logs.
Three isolated peaks rose steeply within the city walls, transplanted there through the immense methods of Nascent Soul True Persons.
Furthermore, the Lancang River, originating from the Great Snow Mountain, split into two streams that surged around both flanks of the immortal city to serve as defensive moats.
Puppets of various designs stood stationed in every direction around the city.
Perhaps due to its hasty construction, the immortal city lacked refinement, yet it carried an air of rugged grandeur.
If Tianlan Immortal City was a slumbering ancient beast,
then this Moonbreaker Immortal City was a war behemoth poised to devour all in its path.
Fierce and domineering!
In Luo Chen's field of vision, numerous cultivators of varying attires and realms busied themselves along the towering city walls, appearing to engrave formation patterns.
Within the immortal city, streaks of light rose and fell one after another.
Presumably, the Luoyun Sect had not yet had the time to establish an aerial ban formation.
The moment he laid eyes on this immortal city named "Moonbreaker," Luo Chen suddenly understood something.
*Perhaps this immortal city was never forced into existence by the pressure of the Howling Moon Wolf Clan.*
*This is clearly the Luoyun Sect deliberately slowing the pace of the campaign, leveraging the vast manpower and resources of the twenty-seven sects to forge a super immortal city out of nothing!*
*With this city in place, the Luoyun Domain will surely reap mountains of gold through it in the future!*
Certain untoward ambitions abruptly surfaced in Luo Chen's mind.
If one could monopolize the revenue of this single city, it would likely suffice to sustain a Nascent Soul True Person!
Shaking his head vigorously, Luo Chen swept his broad sleeve.
"Halt the boat!"
"Enter the city!"
Chapter 474